by Honey
Father Rivera stood under the doorjamb of the parlor, smiling and nodding without saying a word.
“Maybe we can hang out some other time. I’ve planned to make a couple of stops while I’m out riding. You know, to check on a few of the elderly church members.”
“We understand. Enjoy your ride, Father.”
“I’m sure I will. You two have fun at the theater and the pool hall. Don’t drink too much beer, Father Schmidt.” He turned to Father Rivera. “You’re driving, right?”
The chubby priest with the bright smile nodded.
“I’m glad.” Father Gregory put on his black leather gloves, lifted his helmet from the coffee table, and left the parsonage.
“It’s much too cool outside to ride a motorcycle. He won’t be back before sunrise. It has become his pattern, you know.”
“Why do you suppose he always dresses in all black like a ninja?” Father Rivera snickered at his own question.
“I have no idea. It is strange, isn’t it?”
“It is very strange. I heard the housekeeper tell the cook that his clothes often smell like vanilla.”
“Vanilla?” Father Schmidt repeated.
“Yes, Father, I distinctly heard Ms. June say vanilla. She and Mrs. Ellison weren’t aware that I was standing right outside of the kitchen door. They laughed and started whispering after that, so I walked away.”
Father Schmidt sat down on the leather chaise longue, deep in thought about an evening of motorcycle riding in the cold weather, black clothes, and the sweet scent of vanilla.
* * *
Royce checked the caller ID screen on her cell phone and knew right away it was Zora calling again. The country code and phone number had been committed to her memory. Royce loved her big sister to infinity, but she was getting on her nerves with the constant phone calls. Between both voicemails on her two phones, Zora had left Royce a total of twenty-six messages over the past twenty-four hours. Each had reeked of sarcasm. Her voice was high-pitched and animated in tone. Zora had all but accused Royce of being up to no good and ignoring her calls in order to avoid a heart-to-heart with her.
Royce massaged her left temple and reluctantly pushed the power button on her cell phone. “Hello?”
“Where the hell have you been, and why haven’t you answered my calls all weekend? I was worried sick about you.”
“Well, how are you, Zora Chanel? Me? I’m well. Thanks for asking. Dang! Z, you sound like Mama.”
“I have tried to reach you a thousand times since Friday evening. I’ve called Tyler and Andra and neither of them knew where you were or who you were with. What’s going on with you, Royce?”
“There is nothing going on. I decided to cut off myself from the rest of the world while Tyler was away. I turned off my phones and relaxed with a few romance novels and some good wine.”
“You must think I’m a damn fool! I know exactly what you’re doing, and I’m afraid for you, sis. Please stop all this nonsense before you get hurt, honey. Nothing good will ever come of it. He’s not the man for you.”
Royce was stunned to silence by how well Zora knew her. They were five years apart in age and separated by thousands of miles of water and land, yet somehow she had figured out her current situation. Royce cleared her throat. “What are you talking about, Z? Who is ‘he’ and what are you accusing me of doing with him?”
“I’m not stupid! You have fallen in love with Father Gregory, and I believe you’re sleeping with him. There you have it. You forced me to say it. Are you happy now, damn it?”
“No. Actually, I’m sad, Z. How dare you accuse me of something so immoral? I can’t believe you think I’m nothing more than a conscienceless slut.” Royce jumped up from the loveseat in her bedroom when she heard the familiar roar of Father Gregory’s motorcycle drawing near. She looked out the window. “I have to go now. Call me again real soon with more accusations and condemnation, sis. I can hardly wait for it.”
“Royce, don’t you dare hang up the phone. I’m not done talking to you. Royce! Royce!”
She pushed the power button to end the call just as the doorbell rang. Royce dried her eyes with the tail of her shirt and ran down the stairs to answer the door.
Chapter Twenty-four
Father Gregory stepped inside the warm house out from the cold, dark night and closed the door. He pulled Royce into his arms and hugged her tight. Pulling back, he studied her expression. “What’s wrong? You don’t look like you’re happy to see me.”
“I am more than happy to see you,” she said honestly, giving him a half smile. “As a matter of fact, I was getting impatient. What took you so long?”
“You don’t want to know, sweetheart.”
“I need to know if it’s bothering you. Let’s talk in the den. Go ahead. I’ll get the wine and glasses.”
Royce padded into the kitchen, trying her best to force the crazy conversation she’d just had with Zora to the back of her mind. Marlon’s unexpected visit to her job would have to stay on the back burner as well. Apparently, Father Gregory was dealing with a situation too. Whatever it was, she wanted to help him work through it if she could.
Royce removed the bottle of wine from the refrigerator and uncorked it. The wineglasses she chose were the same pair she and Father Gregory had sipped from the other night. The two pieces of crystal stemware now served as mementos to her. They were special symbols of the love Royce had for the exceptional man who had captured her heart. As complicated as their relationship was, she still loved Father Gregory very much and was willing to go through the fire, risking all to be with him.
Hurrying into the den, Royce felt a combination of fear and anxiety. She found Father Gregory sitting on the loveseat with his head relaxing on the back rest and his eyes closed. “What’s up?” She sat down next to him and handed him the wine and one of the glasses.
“I’m being watched.”
Royce frowned. “Who’s watching you and why?”
“Apparently, the other two priests I share the parsonage with have been monitoring my comings and goings.”
“How do you know that? With all the ducking and dodging we’ve been doing, I’m paranoid sometimes. Maybe you are too.”
Father Gregory shook his head and sighed as he poured wine into the glass. He offered it to Royce, and she accepted it before she handed him the empty glass she’d been holding. “I wish it were a common case of paranoia, but it’s not. You should’ve seen how they were eyeballing me when I was preparing to leave to come here. They were judging me, baby. Father Schmidt had the nerve to tell me it was too cool for me to go out for a bike ride.”
“He said what? Who the hell does he think he is?”
“I don’t have a clue. I just know I didn’t like the tone of his voice when he asked if I was going out again. Then when he mentioned the low temperature, something in my gut told me that my personal life had been the topic of his and Father Rivera’s discussions. I believe they’re monitoring me.”
Royce took a sip of wine and swallowed. “What are you going to do now that they’ve dropped you a hint?”
“We are going to have to watch our backs and practice extreme caution from now on, young lady.”
“Maybe you should drive your car over here sometimes and leave your motorcycle at home.”
“That’s not a good idea. Most of the church members know what kind of car I drive. Priests don’t generally cruise around in bright red Corvettes, so my car gets a lot of attention from the parishioners. Only Father Schmidt, Father Rivera, and you know about my motorcycle. I’ve never even shown it to Tyler. My bike will continue to be my form of transportation here.”
Royce nodded silently. Her day was turning out to be a train wreck after such an amazing morning. She had awakened at the crack of dawn in her lover’s arms and allowed him to have his way with her. They’d showered together and talked over a delicious country breakfast. The ride back to Atlanta was windy and cold, but she hadn’t minded much because
she was with the man she loved.
After returning home, Royce’s day slowly went up in flames without warning. First, there was the phone call from Tabatha, informing her that Marlon Burrell, of all lowlife losers, had had the nerve to show his smug face at her place of business. The dude had obviously lost his mind over the three years since he’d deceived her. And although Zora’s suspicions about her affair with Father Gregory had been correct, Royce didn’t appreciate all of the phone calls or her funky attitude.
“I have something I need to tell you too,” she whispered after some time. “This day continues to go down the drain.”
Father Gregory placed his glass of wine on the coffee table and squeezed Royce’s thigh. “What is it, baby?”
“My ex had the boldness to show up out of the blue at Royalty’s Marietta location this morning looking for me. Tabatha called me to let me know shortly after you dropped me off.”
“Why would he want to see you after all this time, Royce? You told me you broke up with him three years ago and you haven’t heard from him since.”
Royce swallowed the marble-size lump in her throat and licked her lips. They suddenly felt dry under Father Gregory’s unexpected interrogation. “I don’t know. Tabatha said he came bearing flowers and that huge ego of his.”
“Flowers, huh? It sounds like he wants to reconnect with you romantically.”
“I don’t want Marlon, baby. I have you. You’re the only man I need.”
“But he came to give you flowers. The next time he pays you a visit he may offer you the engagement ring the priesthood forbids me from giving you.”
Royce shifted her bottom from the loveseat to Father Gregory’s lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck and looked into his eyes. “First of all, Marlon better not show his face at either one of my facilities again. Each of them is considered private property by law. I’m the sole owner of both, and I have the right to ban him from my establishments. Security staffs at both sites have already been made aware of it. And that fool could waste his money on a million rings. I wouldn’t care. I don’t want Marlon, his flowers, his diamonds, or anything else. It’s over between us.”
“What did that guy do to you, Royce? I know he hurt you, but I don’t know how. It must’ve been awfully bad because Tyler hates him. In fact, because of this Marlon character, he doesn’t want you to get involved with any man, except maybe Bullet Bullard.” Father Gregory grinned with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.
Royce pinched him playfully on his shoulder. “How do you know about that?”
“I have my ways of finding out things. But don’t change the subject, baby. Tell me about your relationship with Marlon.”
“We were introduced by a mutual friend, my financial advisor’s wife. It was around the time I was looking for a building to renovate to start my business. I was a young and ambitious healthcare professional. I had money, a master’s degree in nursing from Georgia State, and I was a few months shy of receiving my certification in fitness education and instructional training. Marlon was older and charming. He pursued me with the determination of a stalker.”
“Didn’t you tell me he was a doctor?”
Royce nodded. “He has a Ph.D. in microbiology. At the time, he was teaching at the Emory School of Medicine. I’m not sure if he’s still there, and I don’t care, either. Zora loved him and thought he was the perfect man for me, so I dove in headfirst. I was constantly at high-society functions, meeting all the right people to help me get the fitness center up and running. We traveled extensively, sometimes with other couples both married and not. We were happy and on our way down the aisle, or so I thought.”
“He didn’t want to get married.”
“He claimed he did, but his actions told me something altogether different. We had just celebrated our one-year anniversary on the island of Tortola. My first facility was open and thriving. The second location was almost finished. Life was good, but I noticed that Marlon was absent more than usual. I was too busy to investigate, so I ignored it until the grand opening of the new facility. My parents and the rest of my family had come up from Thomasville. All of my friends and associates were in place, but Marlon was again MIA.”
“Where was that fool, Royce?”
“He was at home with his wife and their sick son.”
Father Gregory’s jaw dropped, obviously in shock. He wrapped his arms tighter around Royce’s body, and she rested her head on his shoulder, still relaxing on his lap.
“You had no idea he was married with a child, did you?”
“Of course not. You see, when Aris Leland first introduced me to Marlon, he had just called off his engagement to his longtime girlfriend. Her name was Jita. Soon after we became a couple, Marlon found out she was pregnant. He chose not to tell me, although the child was conceived before we ever got together. He claimed he was afraid I would leave him if I knew he had a baby on the way with his ex. And on the other end, Jita had threatened to return home to Canada once the baby was born if he didn’t end his relationship with me. She wanted him to marry her and help her raise their child. Jita wanted them to be a family. Maybe Marlon was torn, but he could’ve handled the situation differently in order to save me from the pain and embarrassment.”
“How did you find out he had married the mother of his child and was living with her?”
“When he didn’t show up for the grand opening and didn’t immediately call me with an explanation, I got suspicious. I called in a favor to a guy, a college mate from Georgia State who had once worked as a detective for the Atlanta Police Department. He had a successful investigation and security firm. His name is Edward Colbert. I asked him to investigate Marlon. I gave him the address and phone number to his Buckhead condo along with his cell phone number and other vital information. I held nothing back. Within three days, I was sitting in the living room of his fabulous new home, talking to his wife and watching his sick son struggling to breathe with the help of an oxygen tank. I was devastated but grateful to have found out Marlon was a worthless, cheating snake.”
“I’m sorry, baby. You didn’t deserve to be deceived. If Marlon didn’t appreciate you back then, he’s not worthy of you now. How do you feel about him looking for you after all this time?”
“I’m fine. I just don’t want to see the bastard. That’s why I’ve taken the necessary actions to keep him away from my job. I heard that his son died before his second birthday and his marriage fell apart shortly afterward. I’m sorry about how things turned out for him and Jita, but it has nothing to do with me.”
“You’re right. He’s a part of your past.” Father Gregory kissed Royce on the forehead.
Chapter Twenty-five
Royce calculated her game points quickly for the third time and grinned. “I won!”
“I’m rusty. I haven’t played Scrabble since seminary.”
“Whatever. All I know is I kicked your butt four games in a row. God gave you a sympathy blessing in the first round. You want to play again?”
Father Gregory stretched and yawned with his palm pressed against his open lips. He admired Royce’s competitive spirit. It was appealing, but he had no intention of playing another game of Scrabble with her. He was tired and wanted to go to bed, Royce’s bed. “I’m exhausted. Let’s turn in.” He got up and extended his hand.
Royce stood from her chair on the opposite side of the dinette and placed her hand inside of his. They left the kitchen in silence and headed to the staircase. It was almost midnight. They had consumed a half bottle of Riesling while they talked and played a few hands of twenty-one before finally taking out the Scrabble game. Now, they were going upstairs to make love. Father Gregory knew they shouldn’t, but it was inevitable, and he wasn’t going to fight the forces of temptation. It was a battle he lacked the fortitude to win. He would deal with the guilt later. Tonight he would love Royce and accept the love she would give him in return.
He flipped on the light and closed the bedroom door behind them
as soon as they entered the huge, lavishly decorated space. It was a beautiful suite decorated in soft lavender and cream. Father Gregory felt at home in the room, in the bed that occupied it, and in Royce’s arms. He stripped down to his brown and beige checkered boxers, turned back the duvet comforter, and slid underneath the cool, crisp sheets. He sat with his back against the headboard, watching Royce wander slowly around the room opening and closing drawers, gathering her nightclothes. She started toward the bathroom.
“Don’t take too long.”
“I won’t. Just give me a few minutes.”
Father Gregory pulled the covers back, revealing the enormous bulge between his thighs. “I want you to come now.”
“You said you were tired and wanted to go to bed. I assumed you meant you wanted to sleep.”
“Does it look like I’m about to go to sleep anytime soon?” He tugged at the waistband of his boxers and raised his hips. He lowered the cotton checkered fabric to his knees, exposing his bare penis, erect and engorged.
“I’ll be right back,” Royce said with a mysterious smile on her face. Her eyes were sparkling with a hint of spice in their depths. She went into her huge walk-in closet and got a black box. Then she closed herself up in the bathroom.
Father Gregory removed his boxers completely and dropped them to the floor. He placed his hands behind his head and relaxed on two fluffy pillows while he waited patiently for Royce to emerge from the bathroom.
Condoms.
The brief lapse in time had given him the opportunity to think about protection. The last time they’d made love in the master suite, Royce had taken the condoms from a drawer on the nightstand. Without a second thought, Father Gregory rolled over to the other side of the bed and opened the drawer. Next to a roll of masking tape, lying face up, there was a picture of Royce smiling at him. He picked it up to examine it closely. She was perched on the edge of a big desk, which more than likely was in one of her business offices. The bright orange pantsuit she wore hugged her flawless figure to perfection. The fabric hit all of her curves just right. Her beauty had pulled him into such a deep trance that he didn’t even notice that Royce had left the bathroom and was now walking in his direction.
